Origins: Where Everything Begin
by ImEmerald
Summary: Esmeralda Elizabeth or Esme Gray-Maroni's mundane life is interrupted when her Uncle decided to include her in a deal without her permission. So that's why she's spending the whole month of December in Gotham where she will be involved in an event that will change her life. Based on Arkham Origins from my OC's POV.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

**A/N: Hello, This is just a rewrite of my story since I think 4 chapters without Edward is a little too long. Since there are smartphones in Origins, I think the story takes place around the year 2006. I don't own any characters besides Esme. **

_28th November 2006, Approximately 12.00 AM_

_Church St, Manchester, M4 flat, top floor_

_United Kingdom_

At this time of night normal people would've been out going to some bars for fun but to Esmeralda Elizabeth Gray-Maroni, or 'Esme' by those who are close to her is currently sitting on her desk looking at her laptop. Using her skill as a computer hacker, she easily hacked into one of the security camera of Black Dog Ballroom nightclub's exclusive VIP room looking where some of the socialites of Manchester unwind and danced wildly. As Esme watched the room from her laptop, she spotted a girl who recently made news for her 18th birthday, dancing sensually with a man who is slightly older than her.

"Well, well, well what do we have here? Celebrating your 18th birthday with an older guy in a club, what would your Lord Mayor of a father think of this?" Esme mused. "I can't believe some tabloids like the Daily Mail would waste their paper on her birthday"

Esme decided to capture and download the video, already planning to give it to some paparazzi waiting for a good story. Nothing is more value and important that secrets. Secrets that could humiliate and destroy someone lives and spoiled rich girls like the mayor's daughter deserve such mortification.

'_It might also involve the Lord Mayor but it's not my concern.' _Esme thought_ 'What better way to make headlines than having your deepest and darkest secrets known to everyone.'_

As soon as the video finished downloading, an instrumental music of the 'Love theme from Godfather' began to play from Esme's phone on the right side of her desk.

She reached for it and noticed the first number is 1, a US phone number unlike the usual UK code number which is 44. Hesitant but also curious, she answered "Yes?"

"Hello, _**nipote**_" the one on the other end answered.

"_**Zio**_ Sal, why did call me? It's been awhile!" Esme replied.

"Yeah I'm fine but I had some bad news. Listen, there's a vigilante that calls himself the Bat-Man. That _**figlio di puttana**_ ruined our business and put me in a slammer!" Her paternal uncle Sal said with a slightly angry tone when mentioning the Bat-Man and the business. He was Esme's father's older brother and current head of the Maroni mafia family. She was fully aware of the family's 'business' since she was young and back when she lived in Gotham when her parents are still alive.

"I'm sorry to hear that _**Zio**_ but with some bribes, you managed to get out right?" Esme asked.

"I tried but with the Commissioner on Black Mask's payroll, it was a little harder than I thought. I managed to get out by making a deal with him" Sal answered.

"What kind of deal?"

"I helped his plan about getting rid of that Bat-Man"

"I see. Is there anything else _**Zio**_?"

"Well, I maybe should tell you this but I told him I brought you in as part of our deal"

"What!?" Esme exclaimed. "Were you really that desperate to get out of jail that you involved me in your deal!? Behind my back!?"

"Look I'm sorry but I'll make it up to you later" Sal said, trying to calm his niece down.

Esme let out some profanities before answering back, "Fine whatever, what's done is done. I'll book a flight to Gotham after this, but _**Zio, si prega di non farlo di nuovo, ciao**_" And with that, she clicked the red button on her phone harshly and slammed the device on the desk when her eyes landed on her bed on the right side of the dimly-lighted room.

'_I'm tired; I need to sleep before I book a flight. Let __**Zio**__ Sal and his deal wait. _She sighed internally.As soon as her head landed on her soft pillow, her eyes slowly fluttered shut and soon she fell asleep.

_8 hours later…_

Esme yawned and stretched her arms after being woken up by an alarm clock from her sleep. She went to her desk checking her phone to see whether her uncle had made attempts to call her back. The screen on her phone stated that she had 5 missed calls. '_Well, I did kind of hang up on him,'_ she thought. She pressed the 'Call' button and waited for her uncle to pick up.

"Hello, who is this?" Sal responded with a gruff voice.

'_Someone's not in a very good mood or maybe it's because I call him at midnight, Gotham time' _Esme thought sheepishly "_**Zio**_ Sal! I'm sorry I hung up on you. I'm just mad that you decided to make decisions behind my back. Is there something you need to say since you tried to call me 5 times?"

"Sides from saying I'm sorry, yeah there is. You'll be working with some guy named Edward Nashton. Black Mask sometimes hired him to get some extortion data for blackmail and recently Sionis put him in the GCPD Cybercrimes Unit." Sal answered.

"Sionis? I assume that was Black Mask's real name?" Esme asked.

"Ah, forgot to tell ya that. Yeah, he's real name is Roman Sionis and not everyone knows about it 'cept a few people"

"I see. Is there anything else you want to tell me _**Zio**_?"

"Umm… Oh! There's one more thing. Do you know someone named Oswald Cobblepot? He was called the Penguin and used to live in London?"

"Mr. Cobblepot?! I used to work for him when I was doing my degree for extra cash. Since in _**padre's**_ will I can only had access to my trust until I'm 18 so I had to hack some banks as my monthly allowance and Mr Cobblepot hired me for some jobs until we lost contact during my Masters" Esme replied.

"Wait a minute! I gotta ask; how old are you when you do your degree? I remember Tony sent you to some prep school when you were 8" Sal asked, thinking about his brother's strict parenting towards Esme.

"Well let's see...'O' Levels at ten and then 'A' Levels two years later..." Esme lost in thought "Ah! When I was around 13"

"Whoa! Okay...aren't you a little too-"

"High school is easy so I skipped a few years and just because I'm 13 it doesn't mean I'm not qualified!" Esme almost shouted as she had enough of people telling her she's too young. She took a deep breath before returning to her uncle. "I'm sorry _**Zio, **_I'll see you in December"

After hanging up on Sal, Esme took a few moments to calm herself with before headed to the bathroom for a shower.

"I can't believe I lose my temper with _**Zio**_ Sal but after having so many people telling me off because of my age, gender and sometimes my Italian heritage not because of what I can do, I couldn't help it. So December huh? I better booked a flight, pack some clothes and inform some of my relatives that I'll be spending Christmas and the New Year in Gotham with my paternal relatives who I rarely make contact. Well, at least I already applied for a one month holiday leave from Gray Genetics." Esme said to herself as she made headed to the bathroom for a shower. Then she sighed "What a hassle"

**A/N: Things to know: 1) She's related to Sal Maroni through her father, Antonio 'Tony' Maroni, younger brother of Sal and former consigliere for the mob. 2) Her mother's name is Elizabeth Margaret Gray, daughter of an upper class family in Oxford 3) Her parents died in a plane accident when she was 10 and lived with her maternal relatives ever since. The translation of some Italian words in here are:**

**Nipote = Niece in this case. The word can also mean nephew, grandchild,, grandson and granddaughter**

**Zio = Uncle**

**Figlio di puttana = SOB. You know what it means**

**si prega di non farlo di nuovo, ciao = please don't do this again, bye**

**padre = father (form****ally)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

_28th November 2006, 10.00 AM_

_Church St, Manchester, M4 flat, top floor_

_United Kingdom_

After a quick shower, Esme cooked pancakes for her breakfast. Besides pasta meals, it was the only food she knew how to make. As Esme was eating her breakfast, she turned on the television in the living room which faced the kitchen and watched her favourite channel, the BBC News to see anything interesting. After watching the news for thirty minutes besides the upcoming English Premier League matches, Esme did not find anything interesting.

Finishing her breakfast, Esme went to her laptop in her room to book her flights, one economy class flight from Manchester to London and a first class flight from London to Gotham since Manchester airport does not have a direct flight to Gotham. '_If I have to sit for seven hours on a plane, I might as well pamper myself,' _Esme thought.

After booking her tickets, an instrumental song different from her calling ringtone play from her phone, indicating a text message. After checking her phone, message was from her cousin and best friend, Kathy.

The text was '_Hey Esme, wanna go shopping at the Arndale?'_

'_What a coincidence! I was planning to go there anyway' _Esme replied.

A few seconds passed, Kathy respond, _'Brilliant! Meet you there at 12'_

After the text, Esme prepared herself for her shopping trip which took 15 minutes. The Arndale was just a few blocks away from Esme's flat so she only need to walk there which also one of the reasons she picked the flat two years ago after getting her PhD and at same time as when she needed a place to stay after getting a job at Gray Genetics Manchester Branch.

After applying her makeup, Esme take a look of herself at a mirror next to her bed. She wore a black thick long sleeve shirt beneath a purple double breasted jacket, a black skin tight leather pants and a pair of black leather gloves for warmth. Satisfied with her look, Esme grabbed her bag and wrapped her forest green scarf that she made herself from knitting around her neck before leaving her apartment.

_11.15 AM_

_Caffe Nero, Piccadilly Garden, Manchester, M1_

Since Esme was 45 minutes early for her meeting with Kathy, she decided to stop by at Caffe Nero, an Italian café 4 minutes' walk from her flat for her expresso drink and read The Daily Mail newspaper. After finishing her drink, she tried some of the paper's puzzle, especially Sudoku. There were six puzzles in the newspaper and Esme finished each in 3 minutes and after that she read some articles. After that she read some poorly written tabloid level articles. While reading about an article about some research on a cure for cancer, she got a text from Kathy. _'I'm at the BANK store. Where r u?'_

Esme folded the newspaper and put it in her bag before replying to Kathy, _'Hang on, I'm just leaving from Caffe Nero. I'll be there in five.'_ Then walking from the café she made her way to the Arndale.

28th November 2006, 12.05 PM

L13, The Arndale Shopping Centre,

Manchester, M4 3AJ

United Kingdom

Esme entered the Arndale through the Market Street entrance. Her cousin and best friend Kathy were waiting for her at the Bank. As Esme navigate her way through the shopping centre, passing by various shops she finally found Kathy window shopping at the Bank. From an outsider perspective, both Esme and Kathy can be mistaken for twins due to their similar appearance. Despite that, there the two women have differences such as Kathy having a long straight red hair compared to Esme's short curly brown hair and in terms of personality, Kathy was friendly and open while Esme was very much aloof and standoffish.

As Esme made her way to the Bank, she found a woman with long red hair who is wearing a white top and knee-length light blue skirt under a white coat complete with white leggings and brown boots. 'That must be Kathy' Esme thought as she approached the woman, who noticed Esme from the window shop and turn to her. Upon recognizing Esme, the woman smiled at her.

"Esme! There you are. How come you're not fired from Gray Genetics with that green dye at the tips of your hair" Kathy greeted.

"Hey Kathy, it's good to see you. The dress code in the company doesn't involve hair. Also my job as a financial anaylsis doen't involved meeting other people" Esme replied with a small grin.

"I see but at this hour George and I usually have our lunch and you just went to Caffe Nero, so do you mind if we had our lunch first at the food court?" Kathy asked.

"Oh, him" Esme said with a deadpan, almost bored voice. "I haven't eaten anything so I don't mind having lunch with you. I hope dear George doesn't mind."

Kathy frowned at the way Esme said about George. "He's my fiancé! Please try being nice about him. He's a wonderful man and I can't wait to marry him. I don't understand why you don't like him."

Both women are at the elevator as the conversation goes on. Esme scoffs and reply "Who says I don't like him? I just don't trust him that's all. Asides from claimed being an orphan and inherent a manor somewhere in Oxford he could be a conman trying to kill you for life insurance or sold you to sex slavery!"

"That's preposterous! I know you can be paranoid but this is ridiculous. Look I came here to catch up with you not arguing about my fiancé. Can we just drop this?"

With a sigh Esme relented," you're right. I'm sorry I overreact but I'm just worried about you and I'm sure our _dear_ baroness of a grandmother is high on the moon about your upcoming nuptials."

Kathy just shook her head regarding Esme's antics about the people she dislikes, namely George and their grandmother Margaret, the Baroness Gray. The elevator was now at the food court floor. After picking their lunch, Esme and Kathy found their table in the middle of the food court. Both women continued their conversation as they ate.

"I was planning on buying a new watch and maybe some golf clubs for George this Christmas, what about you?" said Kathy

"Right, Christmas. Well for you I'm planning to make a scarf for you. I found this yarn that match your hair; for our Uncle Charles, maybe a hard drive to make his job at the MI6 easier and last but not least our only male cousin Albert a bottle of his favourite scotch" Esme replied.

"What about our grandmother? Don't you have anything for her?"

"Hmph! What about her? She doesn't want anything from her illegitimate and least favourite granddaughter that's for sure."

It is well known among the Gray family that the baroness only took custody of Esme after her parents' death because she is by blood a Gray and she did not acknowledge her eldest daughter marriage to a son of a mob boss while Esme always viewed her grandmother as a stuck-up, self-important old crone. As a result, both did not get along well.

"Blimey Esme! Christmas is coming. Can't you just try to get along during our annual Christmas dinner?" Kathy said exasperated.

"Well…about that I forgot to mention that I can't be there because my Uncle from Gotham need my help" Esme sheepishly reply.

Kathy eyes became wide as saucers as Esme mentioned her uncle from Gotham. "What!? Are you saying you rather go to Gotham and help your paternal uncle you barely knew than spending Christmas with us?"

"I wish but it seems urgent and apparently he roped me in without my consent. Besides, it's been 16 years since I've been to Gotham. That place maybe the most crime-riddled city in the world, I've spent 10 years of my childhood there." Esme said.

"I have a bad feeling about this. Do you have to go?"

"I already booked two flights, one to London and one to Gotham. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine." Esme reassured Kathy. "Now that we done with our lunch let's go shopping"

Both women spent the entire afternoon shopping, Kathy buying gifts for her fiancé and her family while Esme bought a hard drive, a bottle of Talisker scotch and some clothes and a luggage for her trip to Gotham.

**Note: The BANK that Kathy mentioned is a clothing store in UK, NOT an actual bank. I decided to re-write the story because 4 chapters without Edward are a little too long. Next chapter I'm planning for Esme to finally arrived in Gotham. It will involve the Maronis and Edward. I hope I write them well.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**Hey guys, sorry for the late update, I've been preoccupied with reformatting my laptop, re-installing Microsoft Office, the start of a new term and of course, writer's block. I also decided to re-write some of my chapters as I'm thinking 4 chapters without Edward are a little too long. So without further ado here's the chapter y'all been waiting for.**

_4__th__ December 2006, 1730 Gotham Time_

_Gotham International Airport_

_United States of America_

After spending a total of 9 hours in a plane, Esme finally arrived in Gotham. Despite the fact that her parents died in a plane crash, she did not fear travelling as some of her side jobs involved going across the world, especially illegal racing. Esme had texted her uncle about her estimated arrival time before she boarded her plane. After getting her passport checked and getting her luggage, she proceeds to the arrival hall where Sal and the rest of the Maroni family are waiting for her.

"_Nipote_! Welcome to Gotham or should I say welcome back" Sal greeted her with a kiss on each of her cheeks and gave her a hug. Breaking the hug, he later gestured her hair, "What's with your hair?"

"_Zio_ Sal! It's been a while. Yeah about the hair, you can call it as part of my identity. " said Esme as she returned the hug and kiss before noticing two men standing behind Sal. Aside from their hair colour, both men are identical

"Hey _cugina_! It's us Pino and Umberto. The dye looks good on you" said one of the identical men with black hair and pony tail to Esme.

Esme was shocked at first but hugged both men whom she had not had contact with for so long, "Oh my! It's been awhile you two but um… let me refresh my memory. You're" as she pointed to the black haired man, "Pino and you're" as Esme addresses the one with brown hair "Umberto"

With a small laugh, the man with brown hair, Umberto said, "Well, looks like she remembers us after all Pino. By the way Esme how's-"

"Alright boys, give Esme some space, she's been in a plane for hours and we'll be late for dinner at the restaurant," Sal interrupted, preventing his sons from questions.

"Ya right Pops. Sorry about that _cugina, _let me and Pino carry your stuff" said Umberto. Both he and Pino picked Esme's luggage heading for the exit with Sal and Esme following them.

"That place is still running _Zio_? How is it possible with you lot using the refrigerator to hide stolen money, drugs and maybe someone's body waiting to be dispose or being chopped and served to unsuspecting customers?"

"_Mio dio nipote!_ Where the hell did you get that idea?! I know you had your Pop's smarts but his paranoia too? Jesus!" Sal exclaimed. "Well.. we didn't really hide all of them in a fridge but Tony did mention about a family in New York that temporarily keeps whatever they stole in their fridge and we chopped no one's body. Whatever your pop's sayin' is not at all true."

"_Qualsiasi cosa tu dica Zio," _Esme retorted as the family reached at two black cars with one man with a combed black hair standing next to the second car waiting for them.

"Don Maroni" the man nodded at Sal before he turned to Esme "and it has been awhile, _Signorina_ Esmeralda"

The man, Frankie Carbone is Maroni's second-hand-in command and the last time Esme saw him was 18 years ago at the same airport they are now when she was leaving Gotham to study abroad at Oxford. With a sigh, Esme talked to the man "Oh Frankie, yes it's been a long time but you don't really need use that title on me. Besides, I'm not a mafia princess you don't need to be so formal to me."

"Of course"

Once Pino and Umberto finished packing Esme's luggage, the family was ready to leave the airport. Before Esme got in the car along with Sal, she felt like she was being watched and turned around. She only saw a security camera with a glowing green lens which she find it odd and seems to be focusing on her.

"What's wrong Esme?" Sal asked from the car. She diverted her attention from the camera to her uncle.

"Nothing, Zio. It's just a strange security camera."

"Strange or not it's just a camera. Now get in; Pino and Umberto already left for the mansion to drop your stuff"

Esme did what Sal said and Frankie drove the car out of the airport along with Pino and Umberto. The five traveled at the same pace until they reached a two-way intersection, one heading to the suburban and another is heading to South Gotham where the car that carried Sal, Esme and Frankie headed while the Maroni boys went to the other way.

The traffic in South Gotham was adequate so the remaining three arrived at the restaurant in just about 15 minutes. The exterior of the restaurant to Esme was not really that appealing, no different than any restaurant.

'_But it makes sense though since making it a high class dining place could lead to suspicion.' _Thought Esme. Before she enter the restaurant, Esme saw a security camera with green lens that look suspiciously similar like the one she saw at the airport from her left peripheral view. _'Could it be the police installed those cameras? Zio Sal was recently arrested and he mentioned that I would be working with someone from the cybercrime unit. It must be them.' _With that thought Esme entered the restaurant.

The interior of the restaurant has dining tables and chairs and by Esme's estimation can held up to 30 people some pictures, flowers and candles decorating the place. Strangely a number of men in suits were the only customers of the restaurant at this time. Sal and Frankie were already seated at the table for 8 people but Esme noticed that her Zio was not seated at the head as would a boss but instead it was an elderly man who looked like Sal but much old. It was her paternal grandfather who she hadn't seen for years, Luigi "Big Lou" Maroni.

**I'm sorry Edward doesn't really appear in this chapter but at least Esme's in Gotham and meeting her paternal family who she rarely keep in touch. I'm currently in second year in my Uni and it's getting hectic. I rarely have time to relax and most of my time focuses on assignments, tests and preparing for my internship next semester. So enjoy reading and review would be appreciated. I didn't mean to be racially insensitive but I hope how I write the American-Italian is ok. New Italian words for this chapter:**

**Cugina = female cousin**

**Mio dio = my God**

**Qualsiasi cosa tu dica = Whatever you say**

**Signorina = Miss**


End file.
